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Sanders lifts Lunenburg to crucial win over Oakmont

By Shaun Suhoski, Correspondent

Updated:
02/02/2013 06:39:11 AM EST

ASHBURNHAM -- Despite a second-half burst of energy from a scrappy Oakmont Regional squad, Lunenburg improved its chances for a bid to the Clark Tournament which a convincing 61-52 boys' basketball victory Friday night.

"We're battling for a spot at the Clark right now and every win helps," said Lunenburg coach John Economo. "We needed this win to even give us a chance to get in the tournament. This was a huge one for us."

The Blue Knights (6-4) were led by the game-high 19 points of Andrew Sanders, who twisted his wiry frame in the paint to give the Spartans fits all night.

"That was probably the best offensive performance we've had from (Sanders). I've been waiting for it to happen," said Economo. "He's always ripping down 12, 13, 15, 18 boards a game and finally he's finishing some of them and giving us some offensive production as well."

The Blue Knights appeared to have the game easily in hand as they extended a six-point first-quarter lead to 12 at the half and 16 by the end of the third.

Oakmont (2-12) built upon the energy of its young players to make it a game to the end as A.J. Allard connected for eight of his team-high 12 points in the fourth quarter, while Kevin Maynard hit for all of his nine points in the second half while playing a frenetic style of defense.

"We brought some young kids off the bench in the second half," said Oakmont coach Eric Dawley. "Kevin Maynard was a nice little spark for us playing some defense and scoring a couple buckets.

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And we started feeling a little bit better about ourselves.

"David Quaye (7 points) and Tyler Hildreth (3 points) are two sophomores who just played their hearts out. We really felt good about the young kids who came into the game and got us back in it a bit."

Despite Oakmont's energy in the second half, the Blue Knights never let the game get closer than nine points in the final quarter as the teams traded hard-fought baskets up and down the court.

Trailing by 15 late in the game, Oakmont went on a 6-0 run to give the home fans some hope.

Allard connected on a short turnaround jumper down low and, following a turnover, Jon Streeks (9 points) hit a pair of free throws after battling for an offensive rebound. Maynard then stole the ball near midcourt and hit a careening layup to bring the Spartans within nine with 1:26 left.

Lunenburg's Greg Abare, who scored 13 points while continuously plugging up the middle defensively, stopped the bleeding when he sank both ends of a 1-and-1.

"Oakmont is a team that is not going to give up," said Economo. "Those kids are playing hard and they're in it the whole game. We slacked off a little bit and quickly they came back. But we were able to take care of it at the end."

Nate Nash also pumped in 16 points for the winners, who host league leader Clinton on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Gaels beat the Blue Knights, 82-60, on Jan. 11.

"It's going to be tough to beat (Clinton), but we've got them at home, which is nice," said Economo. "If we can get a win there, we're definitely in the Clark. If we don't, we've got to start preparing for a couple more teams and try to get into the postseason."

Oakmont, which lost to Gardner 60-45 on Jan. 11, travels to face the 6-9 Wildcats Tuesday at 7 p.m.

"Gardner is very athletic and as talented as anyone in our league. We're going to have to play a perfect game to beat them," said Dawley.

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